Smart Social Media Tips & Tricks

Today we are talking Top Posts on Instagram. As a social media manager getting my posts and my client's posts into the coveted "Top Posts" spot for their hashtags is my goal every time I post to Instagram. Why? When your picture is featured as one of 9 Top Posts for that hashtag it stays at the top of the hashtag feed for about 24 hours, sometimes less and sometimes longer. This means that your post stays at the top of that hashtag feed rather than being pushed further down the feed as more posts are using that specific hashtag.

How the engagement rate works:
For example, your account size is 450 followers large. You make a post that gets 45 likes and 5 comments. This means that your engagement rate is over 11%. This is why you want to use niche hashtags that are the appropriate size for your account.

It is not about how big your following is it is about how engaged your followers are! You can be a small account and get into the Top Post if you have a super engaged following but it is important to be mindful of the size of the hashtags that you are using. Smaller hashtag will be easier to get into the Top Post spots than a large, trending hashtag. I suggest that as your account grows the size of your hashtag grows. As a general rule, do not use tags that are smaller than 5000 or larger than 500, 000 when you are a smaller account. The engagement rate will be better meaning your likelihood of getting into a Top Post is better. If you use a hashtag that is too small you may easily get into the Top Post but you may have a slower growth rate because those small hashtags are not being used as often.

On the flip side, if you have an account that is stagnant or has gotten a lot autobot followers you will plateau because those audiences are not engaged. Ensure that you are consistently posting quality content and engaging with your audience so that your existing followers do not forget about you or get bored. You also, want to make sure that you are not just using hashtags that get you quick likes/follows from accounts that do not care about what is your sharing (selling).

Top Posts are great but...
It is more important to target your ideal client. Why? so you convert more followers into customers!! Do not just use hashtags that are good for quick likes because these likes are not necessarily from your target market. Meaning that you need to be careful not to focus solely on quick growth but rather focus on growing your account with followers that are in your target market. It may not be rapid growth but if it is target market growth your going to convert more followers to customers rather than just followers. Make sense?

How can I ensure that I am targeting the right audiences?
I suggest to ensure that you are targeting the right people for your Instagram that you break your hashtags up into the following categories:
1. Description Tags - These hashtags should make-up about 20% allowed 30 hashtags. These hashtags describe the actual picture and the content of your post.
2. Community Tags - These hashtags also make up 20% or 6 hashtags of your thirty. They describe you, your business, industry or community – not your audience.
3. Audience Tags - These tags make up the bulk of your 30 hashtags at 60% or 18 tags. They will be used to target your ideal client. (These are the most important!)

If you break-up your hashtags this way you will ensure a balance of some quick like tags and your target market tags which will help you to not just grow your account but create a community of engaged and interested followers - and isn't that the ultimate goal!!

Let me know about your hashtag success and if you are getting into those Top Post posts!!

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Author

My name is Melanie Stoppler and I am a mompreneur! I am passionate about many things in my life including being a wife, mother, coffee connoisseur, wine lover & a social media marketing strategist.

I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. When I am not working or spending time with my family I can be found enjoying a glass of wine or cup of coffee.

If you have a business and are using social media you will find something here for you! This blog is all about social. From Instagram & Facebook to newsletters & content marketing strategies. I'm sharing some of my favorite tips & tricks as well as some of my major woes not only when it comes to social but also when it come to being a Mompreneur.

I love socializing as much as I love social media so make sure you leave your comments! I'd love to hear from you!